I am a capitalist and support legal protections in place to preserve revenue streams for rightsholders (even though I rob from them through piracy…let them make profit from “honest people”). I am totally anti-socialist and do not think that “power to the people” is necessarily a good thing. It hasn’t worked out that well in the past. Often, the libertarian rantings here just call out to me for refute.

My opinion has changed, though, regarding scientific research papers conducted at universities and funded by tax payers money. I’ve decided that you are right and such documents should not be held for ransom behind pay walls or by high-priced scientific journal publishers. I’ve researched the topic and have found that universities such as Harvard have come out against scientific journal outrageous costs.

However, when statements like “the government killed Swartz” are made, I must refute them. This isn’t a cause that anyone should die for or be imprisoned for lengthy terms for (short terms, OK).

The man simply didn’t think the whole thing through and got himself in so deep that he felt suicide was the only way out. But HE MADE HIS OWN MESS and couldn’t deal with it.

I also think Snowden is a criminal and should be imprisoned.

Nobody or nothing else killed him or drove him to suicide other than the consequences of his own actions.

If he’s the poster boy for anything, it’s short-sighted idealism and an under-developed self-preservation instinct.

The internet, like all other major technological changes in history from gunpowder on forward, is going to change many things substantially, but I do not see it as any kind of door to a more enlightened age of techno-socialism.

Avenues for profit will still be discovered in this “new age” and capitalism will continue to thrive, albeit in new and improved ways supplementing the old, proven ones.

Enough of this boring topic anyway. I’m now into radio-controlled “flying GoPro cameras, like in the youtube vid link below. Can’t wait until I get mine and check out the fantastic sites on the Big Island of Hawaii. Waipio Valley…Volcano Nat’l Park (60 miles from my home), etc.

A fine alternative to our scuba and underwater photography ventures we’ve been engaged in for the last few decades.

Life is good, for me anyway.

You are now free to move about your current existences…

See ya…wouldn’t want to be ya…